The
Bent-Over Barbell Row exercise is a basic
but very good back developer. It can be easy
to use poor form with this one, so be sure to
keep your body in the proper position while
performing the exercise. This exercise will
hit the lats, the upper back muscles as well
as the biceps. It's a great overall mass-building
exercise.

How
to Do Barbell Bent-Over Rows:

The
Bent-Over Row builds thickness in the upper
back and uses the lower back and abs to stabilize
the body during the movement. The biceps also
contribute to the movement, however care should
be taken to minimize biceps involvement as the
biceps are the weakest muscle in the chain.

There
are several variations but the most
effective version for the lats is
the reverse-grip row.

Bend
your knees and bend over at the waist,
keeping an arch in your lower back
and looking forward. It is important
not to round your lower back in this
exercise.

Take
a shoulder-width, palms-up grip on
the barbell. Your knees will be inside
your arms during the movement. The
next thing you should do is suck up
your abs and hold them tightly in.
This will stabilize your abdominal
area.

Keeping
your knees bent (the angle will be
somewhat greater than 90 degrees)
and back arched and without lifting
with your lower back, pull the barbell
back and up into your lower abdomen.

Fight
the tendency to stand up to help cheat
the weight up, which can strain your
lower back.

Also,
do not dip your upper body down to
meet the bar. This will reduce the
effectiveness of the exercise and
can lead to lower back injury.

When
done with proper form, the bent-over
row is one of the most effective back
exercises you can do.

Common
Errors in the Bent-Over Row:

1.
Improper body position

This is
most commonly seen as the straight-legged,
rounded back style. This is the worst
position for your lower back to be taking
weight on. Always keep your lower back
arched, your knees bent, and your head
up and butt down.

2. Yanking
the weight up

Always
lift the weight up using muscle power
only. Yanking the weight up in this
position can cause lower back injury.

3. Dipping
the upper body down

This is
often done as you pull the bar up in
an effort to get the weight up to the
end of the rep. Instead of pulling the
bar up to you, you are dropping yourself
down to meet the bar. This is a less
effective way to train the back and
has the potential for injury. Keep your
torso as steady as you can.

Tricks
for the Bent-Over Row:

1.
Coming in for a landing

Imagine
your body as a plane coming in for a landing.
This will help with your body positioning. Always
look forward when doing this exercise. Looking
down will automatically cause your back to round
over.

2.
Butt against the wall

If
you have trouble keeping in the correct position,
do this exercise with your butt pressed against
the wall. By keeping it firmly in one spot,
you will eliminate the tendency to stand up.